IEP Chandigarh April 19      

     The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Wednesday nabbed a SDO mining department, Sarbjit and his driver Mani Ram, posted at Hoshiarpur, red handed for taking a bribe of Rs 40,000.          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said the accused have been arrested on the complaint of Rajinder Singh, resident of village Pur Hiran, Hoshiarpur district. He informed that the complainant has approached the VB and informed that he has been engaged in filling of plots/under construction houses with loose earth and used to carry the trolleys filled with soil. The complainant further alleged that the above said SDO and his driver have demanded Rs 40,000 as a bribe per month to run his business smoothly.          The spokesperson added that after preliminary investigation of the complaint the VB unit of Jalandhar range has laid a trap and both the accused have been arrested on the spot while accepting bribe money of Rs 40,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. The bribe money was also recovered by the VB team on the spot.          In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against both the said accused at VB police station Jalandhar. Further investigation in this case was under progress, he informed. 

IEP Chandigarh, April 15

Social Justice, Empowerment, Minorities and Social Security Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur have announced plans to utilize the 17 Dr. Ambedkar Bhawans of the state at a new level. These buildings, which were originally established for the Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and other economically disadvantaged communities, will now provide free training facilities for preliminary examinations to help students improve their standard of living.Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that the Punjab Government will not allow the Dr. Ambedkar Bhawans to fall into ruins. Instead, they will be utilized effectively to uplift the people of the state, following the vision of Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar ji. The efforts are aimed at promoting equality and empowering all sections of society.Dr. Baljit Kaur stated, “We are committed to following in the footsteps of Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar ji and ensuring that every section of society has the right to equality. These Bhawans will be used to provide free training facilities for preliminary examinations.The move to utilize the Dr. Ambedkar Bhawans at a new level is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to promote social justice, empowerment, and upliftment of marginalized communities in the state. Dr. Baljit Kaur’s vision is to ensure that these buildings serve their intended purpose and contribute positively to the welfare of the people.The Government is taking proactive steps to ensure that the Dr. Ambedkar Bhawans are utilized effectively, and they will no longer be allowed to deteriorate into ruins. Dr. Baljit Kaur’s initiative reflects the commitment of the Punjab government towards inclusive development and creating a more equitable society.

IEP Mehandpur (Ropar), April 15 

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said that the self proclaimed leaders of weaker and underprivileged sections have ruined the future of this section of society by usurping the money for the scholarship of the students. The Chief Minister, while addressing the gathering from across the country at a function organized by Sri Guru Ravidass Sadhu Sampraday Society here today, bemoaned that the poor people have been ditched by those only who claimed to be their own leaders. He reminded the people that earlier governments had ruined the future of poor students by usurping the money meant for the post matric scholarship scheme. Bhagwant Mann said that these leaders had backstabbed their own community by grabbing the money of scholarship meant for the SC students. The Chief Minister said that these leaders had always misled their people by creating a mirage of their well being whereas they didn’t do even a single work to uplift the weaker sections. He said that these leaders shamefully used the poor people to scale new heights in political fields and then amass huge wealth by plundering the money of the public. Bhagwant Mann said that they earned the votes in the name of eliminating poverty but even after 75 years this menace continues to jeopardize the progress of the state and its people.   The Chief Minister said that the previous governments were neck deep in corruption and the Ministers along with other leaders looted the money meant for the public. Citing an example, he said that the fact that two machines for counting notes were recovered from a former Minister’s home at Hoshiarpur along with other wealth reflects how mercilessly these leaders had minted the money illegally by misusing their official position. However, Bhagwant Mann vowed that none of these leaders will be spared and they will be made accountable for every sin done against Punjab and its people. The Chief Minister said that in the last one year his government has made strenuous efforts to ensure that people get the benefits of the pro-people welfare schemes. However, he said that in the past affluent people used to get the benefits and deserving ones were left out. Bhagwant Mann said that this trend has been changed now as only the needy people are being extended subsidies.    Assailing the previous governments for conniving with the private players to extend benefit to them, the Chief Minister said that during the successive regimes healthcare and education sectors were blatantly ignored to ensure that a readymade market was being made available to the big hospitals and educational institutes. He said that these private players then connived with the government by keeping their share in the loot. Likewise, Bhagwant Mann said that in the transport sector, the public sector undertakings were dominated by the private transporters thereby leading to their woes of common man. Slamming SAD Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for issuing baseless statements against the state government, the Chief Minister said that this reflects the feudal mindset of these leaders who cannot digest that a government is working sincerely for the welfare of the common man. Training his guns against the former Deputy Chief Minister, he said that the person who himself wakes up at 12 noon can never imagine the benefits of changing the time of offices from 7:30 am to 2pm.  Bhagwant Mann said that these leaders have been rejected by the people due to their such anti-people mindset adding that every decision of the state government is aimed at the well being of the common man. However, the Chief Minister said that after assuming charge of office, his government has taken various pro-people initiatives. He said that his government is providing free power to the state residents as a result of which 80% people are getting zero bills. Bhagwant Mann said that more than 9000 acres of land have been freed from the illegal occupation of the affluent people. The Chief Minister further said that the state government has dedicated more than 500 Aam Aadmi Clinics across the state to impart quality health services in the state. He said that these clinics are providing world class treatment and diagnostic facilities to the people free of cost. Bhagwant Mann said that so far 21.21 lakh patients have been benefitted from these Aam Aadmi clinics adding that it has helped the government in preparing a database for checking the various diseases prevalent in the state and combating them effectively. The Chief Minister further said that the state government has so far provided more than 28,000 jobs to the youth in the state. He said that these jobs have been given totally on the basis of merit and a completely transparent mechanism has been adopted for it. Bhagwant Mann said that the motive is to ensure that youth becomes an equal partner in the socio-economic growth of the state. The Chief Minister said that to realize the dream of Baba Sahib Dr BR Ambedkar to empower common man by spreading education, the state government has set up 117 Schools of Eminence across the 23 districts of the state to provide quality education to children.  Bhagwant Mann said that these schools will focus on grooming students for five professional and competitive courses including engineering, law, commerce, UPSC and NDA. He said that these schools will enable the youth to compete with their counterparts educated in other parts of the globe.

IEP Chandigarh, April 15    

       The Punjab Government led by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is ensuring hassle free procurement in the mandis across the State during the current Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) and has set record of sorts in terms of releasing payments directly into the bank accounts of the farmers in a fasttrack manner, as the payments have been released fastest than ever before          As testimony to this, full amount of MSP at the rate of Rs 2125 per quintal, totalling Rs. 1140 crore has been released directly into the bank accounts of nearly 36000 farmers till today, disclosed the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak in a statement today adding that no value cut has been imposed on farmers while releasing the payments of MSP. He also added that till today i.e. April 15th, 13 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) of wheat has been procured by Govt. Procurement Agencies.           Robust arrangements to ensure smooth Procurement operations  at all the mandis have been put in place at all the mandis and all necessary measures are being taken to ensure that the farmers do not face any difficulty in the mandies.